Messaging services for pre-pay users

ABSTRACT

A communication system providing messaging services can have a receiving unit configured to receive a request to send a message, an authorization unit configured to authorize the sending of the message in response to the request, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the authorization to send the message.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVETNION FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to messaging services incommunication systems, and particularly but not exclusively tomulti-media messaging services for pre-pay subscribers in mobilecommunications system.

[0002] In public land mobile networks (PLMN), there are generally twotypes of subscribers or users of the system: those that are invoiced forthe use of services, known as post-pay; and those which pay in advancefor the use of services, known as pre-pay.

[0003] With pre-pay subscriptions, the cost of using any services arededucted from the pre-paid account as the service is used. Once thepre-paid account is used up, then access to any chargeable services isdenied.

[0004] Messaging services are one of the services which are available topre-pay subscribers, and which incur charges. For pre-pay subscribers,therefore, there is a desire to deny access to messaging services whenthe pre-pay account is empty.

[0005] In second generation PLMNs the predominant form of messaging hasbeen the short messaging service (SMS). This type of messaging consistsof small messages which are relatively cheap for a subscriber totransmit, and which do not unduly burden the radio resources of thesystem.

[0006] With the transition to third generation PLMNs, the predominantmessaging service is likely to become multimedia messaging services.Multimedia messages are considerably larger in size than short messages,and transferred over other bearers. The transmission of multimediamessages will require considerably more network resources than shortmessages, and consequently will incur more significant charges.

[0007] It is likely that some pre-pay subscribers will attempt to sendmultimedia messages even though their accounts are exhausted or do nothave sufficient credit to pay for the charges of the large message. Inthe current provision of messaging services in PLMNs, it is required forthe entire message to be transmitted to the multimedia messagingservices centre (MMSC) of the network before the MMSC checks with thecharging function as to whether the subscriber has sufficient credit totransmit the message. If the subscriber does not have sufficient credit,then the MMSC drops the message, and does not transmit it.

[0008] This technique is acceptable with the current short messagingservices, because the size of the messages is small and they do not useup a large amount of radio resources. Similarly the cost of transmittingthe messages is small, and a subscriber is more likely to havesufficient credit to transmit the message.

[0009] The disadvantage with this technique for multimedia messaging isthat the full message is received by the MMSC before it is determined ifthe pre-pay subscriber has sufficient credit to use the service. Thiswastes resources if the subscriber does not have sufficient credit tosend the message, particularly radio access resources which could beused for other purposes. Furthermore, a subscriber may attempt torepeatedly send the multimedia message, thus repeatedly sending the fullmessage to the MMSC where it is dropped.

[0010] It is therefore desirable to provide an improved technique forthe handling of messages, particularly multimedia messages, andparticularly for pre-pay subscribers.

[0011] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedtechnique for handling the transmission of messages in communicationsystems, which addresses one or all of the above-stated problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] According to the present invention there is provided a method ofcontrolling the transmission of messages in a communication systemcomprising: receiving a request for the transmission of a message, therequest identifying the message content; determining authorization forthe message to be sent in dependence on the request; and transmitting anauthorization to send the message content.

[0013] The step of determining authorization may include determining acredit level for a subscriber associated with the message. Theauthorization may be transmitted if the credit level corresponds to thecredit required to transmit the message.

[0014] The method may further comprise the step of receiving the messagecontent responsive to the authorization. The step of determiningauthorization may be dependent upon the message content.

[0015] The message may be one of a short messaging service, an enhancedmessaging service, or a multi-media messaging service. The communicationmay be a pre-pay or a post-pay mobile communication system.

[0016] In a further aspect the present invention provides a method ofcontrolling the transmission of messages in a communication system froma subscriber terminal to a network, the method comprising: transmittinga request for transmission of a message from the subscriber terminal tothe network, the request including an identification of the messagecontent; determining an authorization for the message to be sent at thenetwork, said authorization being based on the message content and acredit associated with the subscriber, wherein authorization is grantedif the credit is sufficient for the cost of transmitting the messagecontent; transmitting an authorization to send the message content fromthe network to the subscriber terminal responsive to granting ofauthorization; and transmitting the message content from the subscriberterminal to the network responsive to said authorization.

[0017] The message may be a short messaging service message, an enhancedmessaging service message, or a multimedia messaging service message.The communication system may be a mobile communication system.

[0018] In a still further aspect there is provided an element forcontrolling the transmission of messages in a communication network, theelement including means for receiving a request identifying the messagecontent, means for determining whether the message is to be sent; andmeans for providing authorization to send the message.

[0019] The element may comprise a message centre. The means fordetermining whether the message should be sent may include means fordetermining a credit level for a subscriber associated with the message.

[0020] The means for providing authorization may be responsive to thecredit level corresponding to a credit level required to transmit themessage. The credit level required to transmit the message may be thecost of transmitting the message to be billed to the subscriber.

[0021] The credit level required to transmit the message may bedependent upon the message content. The message may be one of a shortmessaging service, an enhanced messaging service, or a multi-mediamessaging service. The communication may be a pre-pay or a post-paymobile communication system.

[0022] In a still further aspect the present invention provides a userterminal including means to transmit a request to send a messageincluding an identification of the content of the message, andresponsive to an acknowledgement of said request to send the messagecontent.

[0023] The message may be one of a short messaging service, an enhancedmessaging service, or a multi media messaging service.

[0024] The present invention still further provides a communicationsystem including at least one subscriber terminal and a network forconnection to the subscriber terminal, the system including: means fortransmitting a request for transmission of a message from the subscriberterminal to the network, the request including an identification of themessage content; means for determining an authorization for the messageto be sent at the network, said authorization being based on the messagecontent and a credit associated with the subscriber, whereinauthorization is granted if the credit is sufficient for the cost oftransmitting the message content; means for transmitting anauthorization to send the message content from the network to thesubscriber terminal responsive to granting of authorization; and meansfor transmitting the message content from the subscriber terminal to thenetwork responsive to said authorization.

[0025] The means for determining an authorization may include means forstoring a credit level associated with a subscriber and comparison meansfor comparing the stored credit level to a credit required fortransmitting the message content.

[0026] The communication system is preferably a mobiletelecommunications system.

[0027] The invention also provides in a further aspect a computerprogram product for storing computer program code for performing themethod of controlling the transmission of messages in a communicationsystem comprising: receiving a request for the transmission of amessage, the request identifying the message content; determiningauthorization for the message to be sent in dependence on the request;and transmitting an authorization to send the message content.

[0028] In embodiments, the invention thus proposes a pre-dialoguebetween the sending and the receiving entities. This dialogue transfersonly the relevant properties of the message to be sent, and gives thenetwork the possibility to prevent the message content being sent,thereby avoiding the uploading of a potentially large message content.

[0029] The technique of the present invention protects the PLMN fromunnecessary and unpaid data loading in the air interface and thus savesradio capacity for revenue generating services.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] For a better understanding of the present invention and as to howthe same can be carried into effect, reference will now be made by wayof example to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0031]FIG. 1 illustrates the main network elements in an exampleimplementation of the present invention;

[0032]FIG. 2 illustrates the signaling in a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention; and

[0033]FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the principle steps inimplementing the preferred embodiment of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] The present invention is described herein with reference to aparticular illustrative embodiment. However, such embodiment ispresented for the purposes of illustrating the present invention, anddoes not limit the scope thereof.

[0035] In particular, the present invention is described herein withreference to a particular example of a UMTS network supporting userequipment, such as a mobile station, and providing connections for theuser equipment to external IP networks.

[0036] The present invention is particularly described herein by way ofreference to an example in which a user attempts to transmit amultimedia message. The invention is, however, not limited to multimediamessaging. The invention may apply to any type of messaging, includingshort messaging services. In this example it is also assumed that themultimedia messaging services center (MMSC) is assigned to anon-dedicated APN (access point name) in a release 5 (or earlier)compliant network. It is further assumed that the users terminalsupports HTTP. However the invention is not limited in any way to theparticular aspects of the embodiment.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated the main elements of anetwork for describing the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention. A user equipment 100 is associated with a user, andinterfaces with a mobile communication network 102. The interfacebetween the user equipment 100 and the mobile communication network 102is via a radio interface. Call sessions for the user equipment 100 intothe communication network 102 are via a serving GPRS support node (SGSN)104. The SGSN 104 is further connected to a gateway GPRS support node(GGSN) 106. The implementation of a mobile communication network, suchas a UMTS network, in which an SGSN and a GGSN are utilized will befamiliar to one skilled in the art. As such a detailed implementation ofsuch a network is not given in FIG. 1. Rather FIG. 1 is intended toconvey sufficient information about the operation of the network 102 foran understanding of the present invention.

[0038] The GGSN 106 further communicates with a multimedia messagingservices center (MMSC) 108. The MMSC 108 further communicates with acharging function (CF) 110.

[0039] In principle, the charging policy in the GGSN 106 for thespecific PDP context established between the user equipment 100, theSGSN 104, and the GGSN 106 should indicate the MMSC destination IPaddress and port. The charging function 110 provides charging for anymessaging service provided by the MMSC 108. The charging function 110mainly includes charging for online and offline. The charging function110 also supports charging for both post-pay and pre-pay functions.

[0040] A preferred embodiment of the present invention, utilizing thenetwork scenario FIG. 1, is now described further with reference toFIGS. 2 and 3.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 3, in a step 300 a call session is initiated bythe subscriber associated with the user equipment 100. A PDP context isrequested, as illustrated by a message 200 in FIG. 2. The SGSN 104receives a PDP request from the user equipment 100, and forwards a PDPcontext activate 202 to the GGSN 106.

[0042] The PDP context has already been fully established at this stage,shortly prior to sending the message. Therefore the appropriate PDPsignals are returned by the GGSN and the SGSN towards the user equipment100.

[0043] In a step 302, and in accordance with the present invention, theuser equipment 100 forwards a description of the message to be sent tothe MMSC 108. This description is forwarded directly to the MMSC 108 ina message 204, as shown in FIG. 2. In the preferred embodiment thismessage is a “post-message”. However it is not a post-message as isknown in the art. For the purposes of this description, the descriptionof the message which is sent to the MMSC 108 is a “post-message withexpect”. The message 208 is preferably a HTTP post-message, whichincludes in it the HTTP-specific “100-continue” expectation.Advantageously, this message is small in size and does not load theradio access network because it does not contain the message content.

[0044] Responsive to receipt of the post-message 208, the MMSC 108carries out a credit enquiry in step 304. The MMSC initiates an IACC (InAdvance Credit Check) or diameter accounting, indicating the serviceparameters. This accounting request is forwarded to the chargingfunction 110 as a message 210. The indication of the service parametersmay, for example, include the message size and the user identification.Upon receiving the accounting request, the charging function 110determines the price of the service, performs a credit check and minireservation, and acknowledges the accounting request to the MMSC 108. Independence on the credit check carried out, the charging function 110will instruct the MMSC 108 to either drop or accept the message.

[0045] In an alternative, when the charging function 110 identifies thata subscriber has no credit, it may notify the MMSC of the IP address ofsuch subscriber, and the IP address of that subscriber may be ‘blocked’in the GGSN 106, to prevent messages going through.

[0046] If the charging function 110 determines that there is notsufficient credit available for a pre-pay user to transmit theidentified message, then on receipt of this information the MMSC 108drops the message. This way, in accordance with the present invention,the message content is not transferred across the radio interface orinternally within the communications network if the user does not havesufficient credit to pay for the use of the resources.

[0047] If the charging function 110 determines that the user does havesufficient credit to transfer the message, then a confirmation message212 is returned to the MMSC 108. Responsive thereto, the MMSC 108returns a confirmation message to the user, preferably as a“100-continue” message 214 to the GGSN 106, which in turn is forwardedto the SGSN 104 as message 216, and which finally in turn forwards themessage 218 to the user equipment 100.

[0048] The steps of determining whether the credit of the user equipmentis acceptable, carried out in the charging function 110, are illustratedby steps 306 and 308 in FIG. 3. If a decision is made that the credit isacceptable in step 306, then the procedure moves on to step 310 and theacknowledged message is forwarded to the MMSC 108. If a decision is madethat the credit is not acceptable, then the message is dropped in a step308.

[0049] Responsive to receipt of the continue message 218, whichindicates to the user equipment 100 that the message may be transmitted,the user equipment 100 transmits or sends the post-message including themessage content 220 to the SGSN 104, which in turn forwards a message224 to the GGSN 106, and which in turn forwards the posted messageincluding the message content 226 to the MMSC 108. The MMSC 108 thentakes care of the processing of the message in accordance with knowntechniques. This is illustrated by step 312 in FIG. 3.

[0050] Upon successful delivery of the multimedia message to thedestination the MMSC 108 will notify successful delivery to the chargingfunction 110, which will deduct the reserved amount of money from theuser's pre-paid account.

[0051] Thus the present invention prevents the transmittal of messagesover the radio interface or through the communications network where theuser sending the message does not have sufficient credit in order to payfor the transmission of the message. The invention is particularlyadvantageous when used in scenarios where messages are of a large size.As such the invention is particularly advantageous in multimediamessaging applications.

[0052] Although in the above embodiment hypertext transfer protocol(HTTP) is used to send a message, the concept is applicable also toother protocols. For example the concept of the present invention isapplicable to session initiation protocol (SIP). A preferred embodimentof the present invention also assumes that the sender of the message isresponsible for paying the costs in transmitting the message, or atleast part of those costs.

[0053] The present invention has been described herein with reference toa particular exemplary embodiment. One skilled in the art willappreciate that the invention is not limited in its applicability tosuch a preferred embodiment. Further modifications and variations to theinvention will be apparent to one skilled in the art. The scope of theinvention is defined by the appended claims.

1. A method of controlling transmission of messages in a communicationsystem, said method comprising the steps of: receiving a request to senda message, wherein the request identifies a content of the message;determining an authorization for the request to send the message; andtransmitting the authorization to send the content of the message.
 2. Amethod according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining theauthorization comprises the step of: determining a credit level for asubscriber associated with the message.
 3. A method according to claim2, wherein the step of transmitting comprises the step of: transmittingthe authorization when the credit level corresponds to a predeterminedcredit required to send the message.
 4. A method according to claim 1,further comprising the step of: receiving the content of the message inresponse to the authorization.
 5. A method according to claim 1, whereinthe step of determining the authorization is dependent upon anidentification of the content of the message.
 6. A method according toclaim 1, wherein the step of receiving the request comprises the stepof: receiving the request to send a short messaging service message, anenhanced messaging service message, or a multi-media messaging servicemessage.
 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receivingthe request comprises the step of: receiving the request to send themessage in a pre-pay or a post-pay mobile communication system.
 8. Amethod of controlling transmission of messages in a communication systemfrom a subscriber terminal to a network, the method comprising the stepsof: transmitting a request to send a message from a subscriber terminalto a network, wherein the request includes an identification of acontent of the message; determining an authorization at the network forthe request to send the message, said authorization being based on theidentification of the content of the message and a credit levelassociated with the subscriber; transmitting the authorization to sendthe content of the message from the network to the subscriber terminalwhen the credit level equals to or is greater than a cost associatedwith sending the message; and sending the content of the message fromthe subscriber terminal to the network when the authorization istransmitted.
 9. A method according to claim, 8 wherein the step oftransmitting the request comprises the step of: transmitting the requestto send a short messaging service message, an enhanced messaging servicemessage, or a multimedia messaging service message.
 10. A methodaccording to claim 8, wherein the step of transmitting the requestcomprises the step of: transmitting the request to send a message in amobile communication system.
 11. A system for controlling transmissionof messages in a communication network, the system comprising: areceiving means for receiving a request identifying a content of amessage; a determining means for determining an authorization to sendthe message; and a granting means for granting authorization to send themessage.
 12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the receiving meanscomprises a message centre.
 13. A system according to claim 11, whereinthe determining means further determines a credit level for a subscriberassociated with the message.
 14. A system according to claim 13 whereinthe granting means grants the authorization when the credit levelcorresponds to a predetermined credit level required to send themessage.
 15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the granting meansgrants the authorization when the credit level corresponds to a costassociated with sending the message to be billed to the subscriber. 16.A system according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined credit levelrequired to send the message corresponds to the content of the message.17. A system according to claim 11 wherein the message comprises a shortmessaging service message, an enhanced messaging service message, and amulti-media messaging service message.
 18. A system according to claim11, wherein the receiving means receives the request in a pre-pay or apost-pay mobile communication system.
 19. A user terminal, comprising: atransmitter configured to transmit a request to send a message, saidmessage includes an identification of a content of the message; and areceiver configured to receive an acknowledgement of the request to sendthe content of the message.
 20. A user terminal according to claim 19,wherein the message comprises a short messaging service message, anenhanced messaging service message, or a multi media messaging servicemessage.
 21. A communication system including at least one subscriberterminal and a network coupled with the subscriber terminal, the systemcomprising: a first transmitting means for transmitting a request tosend a message from a subscriber terminal to a network, the requestincluding an identification of a content of the message; a determiningmeans for determining an authorization in response to the request tosend the message to the network, said authorization being based on thecontent of the message and a credit associated with a subscriber; asecond transmitting means for transmitting the authorization to send thecontent of the message from the network to the subscriber terminal whenthe credit equals to or is greater than a cost associated with sendingthe message; and sending means for sending the content of the messagefrom the subscriber terminal to the network in response to saidauthorization.
 22. The communication system according to claim 21,wherein the determining means for determining the authorizationcomprises: a storing means for storing a credit level associated withthe subscriber; and a comparison means for comparing the credit levelwith a predetermined credit associated with sending the content of themessage.
 23. A communication system according to claim 21, wherein thefirst transmitting means transmits the request within a mobiletelecommunications system.
 24. A computer program product for storingcomputer program code for controlling transmission of messages in acommunication system to perform a method comprising the steps of:receiving a request to send a message, the request including anidentification of a content of the message; determining an authorizationto send the message in response to the request; and transmitting theauthorization to send the content of the message.
 25. A communicationsystem providing messaging services, said system comprising: a receivingunit configured to receive a request to send a message, said requestidentifies a content of the message; an authorization unit configured toauthorize the sending of the message in response to the request; and atransmitting unit configured to transmit the authorization to send thecontent of the message.
 26. A communication system according to claim25, wherein the authorization unit is configured to authorize thesending of the message in response to the request when a credit levelassociated with a subscriber sending the request is equal to or isgreater than a predetermined cost associated with sending the message.27. A communication system according to claim 25, wherein the receivingunit is configured to receive a request to send a short messagingservice message, an enhanced messaging service message, or a multi-mediamessaging service message.
 28. A communication system according to claim25, wherein the transmitting unit is configured to transmit theauthorization to send the message based on an identification of themessage.